Sometimes you’ve just got to put the ball in play.
Pinch-hitter Cael Foreman did that, and a throwing error plated Tait Rentschler in the bottom of the seventh inning to deliver the win for Mount Vernon over No. 6 Solon, 6-5, on Wednesday, May 29, at Ash Park.
It was the first win over the Spartans since 2020, a six-game Hwy. 1 rivalry losing streak.
“That feels fantastic,” junior pitcher AJ Dermott said. “We haven’t gotten a win over them, in the last … however long. I’ve never gotten a win against them. It feels great.”
Solon came back to win the nightcap, 13-7, but breaking the losing streak against the Spartans was a big one for Coach Charles Chatman.
“It’s been a minute,” Chatman said of the rivalry. “It is big for us. In our conference, we’ve been on the bottom end of it since I’ve been here as the head guy. It’d be nice to find our way to the middle, or the top of it.”
McDermott was sharp in his start, limiting the Spartans to three hits over six innings. He struck out four.
“I’m not a huge strikeout guy,” McDermott said. “But those guys (Solon) are really good and they’ve got great bats. All my stuff was working and I’m happy it was.”
Mount Vernon led 5-3 going to the final inning. Garet Swartzendruber came in to try and get the save.
Brett White hit a one-out double, the only extra-base hit in the game, Nolan Seagren plated him with an RBI single. Seagren would score on a wild pitch.
With two on, and two outs, Swartzendruber got pinch-hitter Garret Stebral to fly out to left field. But the score was tied, 5-5.
“I knew (Garet) had it the whole time,” McDermott said. “He’s a confident guy. I trusted him.”
Rentschler, the No. 7 hitter, led off the seventh inning with a single and was bunted over to second base by Cole Thurn. That set up Foreman.
“I figured coach might give me a chance,” Foreman said. “I was expecting it.”
The grounder was going to be a tough play for the Solon shortstop, but an overthrow allowed Rentschler to score.
“It felt great,” Foreman said of the play. “I was glad I swung and put it in play. That’s when good things happen.”
The Mustangs gathered around home plate and celebrated.
Solon came back to win the second game, 13-7. On Thursday, May 30, Mount Vernon split a pair at Independence, winning 3-1 and losing 9-8.
The Mustangs started off the week with a 7-5 win over Iowa City Regina on Tuesday, May 28.
GAME ONE
Solon 002 010 2 – 5 6 6
Mount Vernon 022 020 1 – 6 8 3
Jackson Link, Tyson Wheeler (6) and Gehrig Turner; AJ McDermott, Garet Swartzendruber (7) and Jase Jaspers. W – Swartzendruber. L – Wheeler. 2B – Brett White (S).